Joyous, heart-warming and familiar, seeing Crowded House with thousands of other fans all singing their hearts out was the post-lockdown connection we all need.
One of the best things about seeing Crowded House live is that they sound exactly the same as on the radio.Neil Finn's voice is smooth and confident, and his stage presence is sexy. He is joined onstage for this tour by his sons Liam and Elroy, producer Mitchell Froom and original Crowded House bass player Nick Seymour.
The set at Sirromet Wines (6 November) had all the classics, which got the audience screaming along to their favourite songs (the crowd had been drinking all day, but remained respectable – it is a vineyard after all!).
Finn opened the show in a spotlight with the line: "She came all the way from America," and the crowd, immediately recognising the song ('Mean To Me'), jumped to their feet. The hits just kept coming.
Image © Sonia Bettinelli
There were three new songs in the set, which had a distinctive early Beatles vibe. While the songs were pleasant to listen to, the audience was clearly there to sing to the hits of the past.
Mixing it up a touch, Finn invited up on stage the Greek band Maistrato to join them for a few songs ('Private Universe', 'Four Seasons In One Day', and 'Weather With You' and 'Better Be Home Soon) in the encore.
Maistrato had played earlier in the day, and it was inspiring to have their take on the guitar and traditional instruments blended into Crowded House's music.
The result was joyous, with all the musicians clearly having the time of their lives. Their love of their music was infectious, with the crowd relishing every moment.
